mcmillan



Sept. 28, 1926.

J. L. M MILLAN LOOSE LEAF BINDER Filed Dec. 12, 1925 lrlll l lillrllll Patented Sept. 28, 1926.

UNITE s'ra'rss matter .PATENT or'rrcs.

7 JOHN L. MCMILLAN, or sYaAcusE, new YORK.

LOOSE-LEAFBINDER.

Application filed December 12, 1925. Serial No. 74,353.

, longitudinal movement when in their engaging position, or unlocking them when it is desired to effect such unlocking. In practice, it isv desirable to permit locking and release of'the sheet-carrying links or cross bars at either or both ends at will, so that sheets may be inserted or removed at one or the other side of the body of leaves'as may be more conveninent.

The invention is illustrated in its preferred form in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is an end View of a loose leaf binder embodying my invention, the coverboards being broken away to permit the working parts to be shown of adequate size; I

Fig. 2, a fragmentary. face View looking into the binder, with the cover-boards thrown open or apart;

Fig. 3, a fragmentary sectional view of one of the pintle slide housings and of the box-like end of the back member of the binder, showinga portion of a pintle slide locked by aimember of the locking mechanism, and also showing the lock shell or casing, the section being taken on the line 33 of Fig.1, r

Fig. l,.a perspective view of an end of one of the pintle slides and a fragment of the locking member which, holds the same against end movement when in locking position, theseparts being shown on a larger scale than in the other figures.

I have shown in the drawings two pintle slides, this being the preferred construction, but it is to be understood that one may be omitted and asimple vwire or pintle rod used as a hinge-pin for one'end of the leaf carrying links.

r The binder comprises a curved or approximately semi-circular "back member to opposite edges of which are hinged cover;

boards and 3, here shown as secured to and carried by the pintle slide housings 4, though they will preferably be attached to the backmember also by the covering 5 carried over the curved back member, and over outer faces and the. edges of the boards and the housings when such covering is employed, or in a manner similar to the hinging of cover-boards of permanent book bindings. This is conventionally illustrated in Fig. 1, where the coveringmaterial 5 is shown carried overithe back member and onto the cover-boards, or the housings which,

under the construction here set forth, cons stitute portions of the cover boards. The ends of the back member 1 are provided with plates or heads, one of which,designated by the numeral 6, is shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, this head being of box-like form to receive within it parts of the locking mechanism,"whereas the opposite head or end plate may be a single sheet of metal or like material of similar outline.

The manner of forming the housing 4 is illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, where itwill be seen thata sheet metal blank is bent or folded longitudinally near its midwidth, to produce at the folded edge a substantially cylindrical portion 4 to receive the approximately cylindrical edge of one of the pintle slides 7. Each slide is a flat bar of 7 metal, one longitudinal edge of which is rolled, machined, or otherwise fashioned to produce a rounded or substantially cylindrical bead 7* extending from end to end of the slide. The bead orv rounded edge of the slide is cut away at intervals to produce a plurality of pintles 8, of which there may be two, three, or more as deemed expedient for binders ofdiiierent dimensions and designed for' different uses.

The pintles of each slide are in alinement with one another and register with eyes or transverse holes 9" formed near each end of sheet-carrying links 9. which span the backmemberl and passthrough openings 10 formed in the housings at at such points as will permit the 'pintles to pass through and to withdraw from the eyes 9 of the links 9 as the pintle'slides are moved longitudinally in one orthe other direction. "The openings 10 areof alengthto receive freely the'link ends,'.but to .preventany material lateral play of 1 the links. therein, "and they are cut"deeply-"enough in'tothe cylindrical walls or portions M of the housings 4 to permit the links to be swung upward when released by the pintles either end, thus permitting the leaves to lie upon one cover: board when both boards are opened out flat and the links are disconnected at one end "from one of the housings. Vith the loayes and links in such position, any desired number of leaves may be removedjfor the purpose of reaching a given leaf or leaves which it is desired to take out; or a point at which it is desired to insert a new leaf or leaves.

For the purpose'ot independently moving the pintle slides 7, each is furnished with a roughened thumb-plate 11 carried by a stem 12 shown by dotted lines in Fig. 2, said stem extending through an elongated slot or opening 13 in the housing, and riveted or otherwise made fast to the slide 7. The slot or opening 13 may with advantage be made of alength to limit and determine the extent of movement of the slide 7.

As indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 2, and shown in full lines in Figs. 8 and t the slide 7 is formed with a projecting stem 14' at the end nearest the box-like head 6 said stem being furnished with an enlarged head 14*. hen the pintle slides are adjusted to link-holding position as indicated in F 2 and the stems 1e: protrude beyond the housings and pass through openings into the box-lihe head 6, as bes seen in Fig. 3.

Carried by the'head 6 is a lock shell or casing 15, comprising'a cylindrical body 15" and aradial extension 15', as shown in Figs. 2- and 3-. lVithin said body 15 is the ro tatahle cylinder 16 of a lock of the Yale or Corbin type, the tumblers, pins and springs of which aresufliciently indicated in F 3. The rotatable cylinder 16 is suitably secured in the head (Sand held against longitutunal.morement though tree to turn within its shell 15. lsrojeoting radially from the cylinder 16 and within the head 6 are two arms 17 and 184 sho n bydottedlines in Fig. 1, and one of which ('17) is shown by full lines in Fig). Hinged or pivoted to the arm 1? is a link or barl9. and similarly connected to the arm 18 is a bar 20, each bar formed or fashioned the end remote from such pivotal connection, into a bifur- Gated or U-shaped head 21, best seen in Fig". The seat in the head 2. is of size to lit somewhatsnugly about the stem I l, which it straddles when the look cylinder is in the position in which it'is shown inFi l and 3; that is to say, in the position in whichit' stands when the key is inserted and removed.

To maintain the. bifurcated ends of bars 19 and-20in proper relation to the stems lfl of the pintle slides 7, suitable: guides are titled near said bifiircatedends. hese may b'epins 26 passing through the walls of the hollow head 6; spurs or lips out: from the inner wall of said hollow head and bent inward, as shown in Fig. 3; or any equivalent construction.

The parts being in the positions indicated in 1, 2 and insertion of key 22 raises the pins or moves them outward until their outer ends aline at the eirc-un'iterenc of said cylinder, their outward movement serving to forge backward or outward the several tumblers 2% against the resistance of springs 25. as usualin' locks ot'this type. T'Jhenthe lcey is withdrawn, the springs torce' inward the tumblersQ h-which cross the meeting" line of the rotntable cylinder 16 and the cylindrical shell 15, thus precluding rotation ofthe cylinder and hence holding the forked ends of the linhs-l9 and 20 in engagement with the stems 1 t of the slides T. Said forked ends or headset the links 19 and 20 are held by the walls o'f Head 6 aga nst lateral play and, passing under 1 eads 14 of stems 1d, preclude longitudi nal more tent of Lhe'pintle slides 7; hence es are securely looked in place,-and pintles 8 cannot be withdrawn from the linhs 10. I

From the foregoing description it will be e identthat when it is desired to unlock the pintle slides 7, it is necessary only to insert the key and'partia lly rotate cylinder 16 in a direction-towithdraw the bifurcated'heads 21'clear of the heads 0t stems 1%, thus freeing the' slides 7 and permitting either or both to be moved longitudinally by the thumb-plates 11, adista'n'ce suflicient to withdraw the pintles 8 from the links 9. Ordi nerily only the slide will be moved which passes through the end of the linksnearcst the point at which an insertion or removal is tobe made. ll h'ei'i such removal or inser'ion is completed, thelinlrs'willbe swung back to normal positioin and the slide or slides will be returned to, link-engaging position, the key will be turned in the reverse or loching direction and withdrawn; and the book will then be safe a'ga'inst'tampering with the leares.

It will of course he understood that though I have shown the parts'ot the form and design which I deem most desirabie, the invention contemplates such usual changes and adaptationsas naturally fall within the field of the mechanic, and which conduce to convenience and economy of mami'hicture.

Any equivalent form ot'look may be eniployed, that shown being selected becauseo'i t's compactness and the difiiculty of its be mg; picked-or opened by unauthorizied ph ties. v

or brevity and, to shorten-the claims, the phrase loose leaf binder-otthe link pintle type will be used as indicating a binder suchas shown and described. coinprising: a back member and two cotershoards hinge-d thereto, and a plurality of links" lOO bridging the back memberand hinged or pivotally connected at opposite ends to the cover-boards or to housings carriedthereby,

nent wire or hinge-rod is used for the opposite ends of the leaf-carrying links, one of the bars 19 or 20 will of course be omitted.

It will be noted that unlocking the pintle slides does not withdraw the pintles from the leaf-carrying links, Such withdrawal and re-engagement of the pintles is efi'ected by means of the thumb-pieces l1, and either of said thumb-pieces may be operated at will and independently of the other. It is hence feasible and is theusual practice to move that slide which releases the end of the links nearest one or other face of the body of leaves constituting the bound mass. The pintles at the other end of the links in such case act merely as hinge pins.

While it is preferred to employ locking bars having a bifurcated end, it is obvious that any bar which through turning the key in looking direction shall be caused to enter a notch or recess inthe pintle slide and prevent movement of the slide, may be employed. I p

It is obvious that the binding or clamping of the sheets or leaves is effected by the back member 1, the housings 4-, the pintle slides 7, the links 9, the lock carried by a head of the back member, and the intermediate bars 19 and 20 which lock or release the pintleslides as the key is turned in one or the other direction. Thecover-boards 2 and 3 merely serve to protect the bound leaves or sheets, and may if desired be omitted. WVhen the cover-boards are used and connected with the housings in the manner illustrated and described, they become in effect integral and movable with the housings, or form extensions thereof, and are hinged or pin jointed to'the back member by the pintles of slide 7 passing through the eyes of links 9. The housings 4, and conse quently the cover-boards, are preferably further flexibly connected with or hinged to the back member by the covering material, leather, canvas, buckram, or other,usually applied as the outer covering or facing of the book cover or binding, or by this and other flexible sheet material introduced for the purpose, Owing, however, to the severe 7 strains to which such connections are subjected in large and heavy books such as bank ledgers, minute books, and the like, a flexible connection of special and novel construction has been devised, and is made the subjectmatter of an application for patent now pending before the Patent Ofiice, filed in the name of another inventor but held in the same interest as the present application.

For; this reason the flexiblezconnection as cont-radistinguished from the pintleandlink connection, is here shown only conventionally by the covering 5 in Fig. 1.- It is not, however, essential that such additional hinge or flexible connection be used, and 'if the cover-boards be"omitted,- such-connection some cases be advantageously housing and provided at its inner edge with a plurality of pintles and at one end with a headed stem projecting longitudinally from the slide in alinement with an opening of the box-like member, the housing being provided with link-receiving openings at its inner edge across which the pintles extend when the slide is moved in one direction and which are cleared by the pintles whenthe slide is moved in the opposite direction;

leaf-carrying links extending J across the back member and provided at opposite ends with eyes to'receive the pintles and hinged at their opposite ends to the opposite edge of the back member; a fixed lock shell carried by the box-like head of theback member; a rotatable'lock cylinder mounted within said shell and provided with a radial arm; tumblers carried by said lock and serving normally to prevent rotation of the lock cylinder; a bar pivotally connected at one end to the radial arm of the lock cylinder and bifurcated at its opposite end to receive or straddle the stem projecting from the end of the pintle slide; and a key serving to move the lock tumblers to cylinder-disengaging position and to rotate the lock cylinder'for the purpose of effecting engagement and disengagementof the bifurcated bar with and from the headed stem of the pintle slide. I i

i 2. In a loose leaf binder of the link and pintle type a back member; housings at opposite longitudinal edges of said back member provided with link-receiving openings; pintle slides movable within said housings to carry their pintlesacross or clear of said openings, as the slides are moved in one or the other direction; leaf-carrying links bridging the back member and having eyes at their opposite ends to receive the pintles of the slides; a lock shell carried by a head of the back member; a key-actuated member within said shell; and locking bars con-' nected with said key-actuated member and arranged to be moved into and out of locking engagement with the pintle slides by movements of the key-actuated member.

3. In a loose leaf binder of the character desoribethga back member; slide housingsat opposite sides of theba'ck memberp'rovided with openings to receive leafrcarrying links;- slides longitudinally movable in said housings and provided with pintles; leaf-carryreceive the pintlesj; a lock, carried by the binder; and bars extending transversely to and engageable with and disengageable from the pintle slides through manipulation of the look.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this, specification.

JOHN L. MGMILLAN. 

